Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the level of selected metals in the leaves of Ruta chalepensis L. (Rue) cultivated in Ethiopia. Rue leaves samples were randomly collected from four different parts of Ethiopia (Kality and Alem Bank from Addis Ababa Administration, Holeta (Oromia Region) and Worabe (South Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region)). A 0.5 g Rue sample was digested with 3.0 mL of 69.5% HNO 3 and 1.0 mL 70% HClO 4 and the levels of selected metals were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The validity of the optimized procedure was evaluated by analyzing the digest of the spiked samples with standard solution and the percentage recoveries varied from 92.0 to 102%. The levels of metals determined in mg/kg dry weight were in the ranges Ca (1872–3077), Zn (44.5–64.0), Cu (<DL–10.8), Cr (<DL–3.10) and Cd (<DL–2.87) (where DL is detection limit). Ni and Pb were below the detection limit. ANOVA at p = 0.05 indicated that there is a significant difference in the level of Ca, Cr, Cu and Zn in the samples. The results indicate that the content of the metals did not exceed the permissible amount for medicinal plants set by WHO and FAO. KEY WORDS : Ruta chalepensis L., Rue, Tena Adam, Metals, Flame atomic absorption spectrometry, Ethiopia Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2018 , 32(2), 185-197. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v32i2.1
Highlights
Ruta chalepensis L. (Rue) is an herbaceous perennial, originally native to the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands
The developed flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) method was applied for the determination of the levels of seven metals (Ca, Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni and Pb) in leaves of Rue samples collected from four different areas of Ethiopia, i.e., Kality (Addis Ababa Administration), Holeta (Oromia Region), Alem Bank (Addis Ababa Administration) and Worabe (South Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region)
The mean values were determined from triplicate analysis of each sample and the accuracy and precision of the results were checked by the aid of different statistical methods after the determination of the levels of metals in the Rue samples
Summary
Ruta chalepensis L. (Rue) is an herbaceous perennial, originally native to the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands. (Rue) is an herbaceous perennial, originally native to the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands. It has blue-green foliage and yellow flowers. This plant is a hardy, evergreen shrub of up to 1 m tall, with a characteristic grayish color and a sharp unpleasant odor. The leaves are small, oblong, deeply divided, and pinnate; and the stems are ramified. It belongs to the family Rutaceeae and is a shrubby plant [1]. It is cultivated in many parts of the world. The morphologically and chemically related R. graveolens L. seems only to be present in South Africa [2]
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